The CIA overthrew Iran’s elected leader for nationalizing oil

Evidence

In 1953, the CIA toppled Mohammed Mossadegh, who had been democratically elected to power in Iran in 1951. Mossadegh’s crime was nationalizing the oil industry. He was replaced by Reza Pahlavi, the Shah, who ruled with an iron fist, murdered and tortured tens of thousands of political dissenters, and abolished all political parties but his own. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 209

Categorization

• XREF: Grounding example for the reader’s question about the line from democracy to theocracy in Iran — connects to the Iranian revolution discussion in the next chapter. — connects to: US-weakened leftists let Khomeini seize leadership of Iran’s revolution — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 245; British imperial power installed and maintained the Pahlavi Shahs in Iran — Chris Allen, Islamophobia, 217; The CIA overthrew elected governments to protect corporate and ideological interests. — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 77

Broader Connections

• US-weakened leftists let Khomeini seize leadership of Iran’s revolution #complicates (0.70) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 245